Pro-environmental Value Orientation across Cultures. Development of a German and Russian Scale

Develops and validates a German and Russian scale of proenvironmental value orientation. Proenvironmental value orientation is conceptualized as a 4-dimensional construct, entailing egocentric, ecocentric, and anthropocentric value orientations as well as environmental apathy. The first stage of the research is an expert test of indicator content validity. In a subsequent step, the authors provide evidence of internal consistency for a student sample (Study 1: 117 Russian students mean age 21.0 years and 106 German students mean age 22.1 years) and for the structural equivalence and criterion validity for a representative sample (Study 2: 204 Russian consumers mean age 56.2 years and 226 German consumers mean age 42.1 years). The structure of proenvironmental value orientation appears to be largely equivalent in both cultures, though the behavioral relevance of the dimensions differs. In the Russian sample, proenvironmental behavioral intention correlates with all of the 4 dimensions, whereas in Germany, anthropocentric value orientation does not relate to behavioral intention.